Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that UFC 236 on April 13th will feature an interim middleweight title fight between leading 185 pound contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya.
Gastelum (15-3, 1 no contest) most recently had his fight against middleweight champion Robert Whittaker cancelled in the last minute due to a hernia from Whittaker that required operation. Whittaker is currently recovering from the injury and will return in the second half of 2019. Prior to his fight cancellation, Gastelum made a split decision over fellow top rival Jacare Souza and knocked out former winner Michael Bisping.
Adesanya (16-0) has transitioned from elite kickboxer to one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts. “The previous Stylebender” has gone 5-0 in the UFC including recent victories over contenders Brad Tavares and Derek Brunson as well as former champion Anderson Silva less than two weeks ago in the substitute main event for UFC 234.
Here’s what MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas needed to say about the bout:
“Stylistically, if Adesanya can continue to keep this fight standing, he definitely has an edge together with his elite kickboxing background and striking skill-set. Gastelum has electricity on the toes and poses issues as a southpaw, but he is almost certainly needs to take this fight to the ground to win it. It’s easy to assume that this is a great stylistic matchup for Adesanya, but maybe we’re underestimating Gastelum here. Gastelum has confronted some of the greatest fighters on the planet in middleweight as a undersized 185-pounder and has played well. That being said, Adesanya is on a mad rise now has a tremendous quantity of support from the betting public so I’m going to open him as a -185 betting favorite with all the comeback on Gastelum being +155.”
Kalikas started the lines for Gastelum vs Adesanya via Bet DSI
——————————————————
UFC 236: Gastelum vs Adesanya
April 13, 2019
Location: TBA
Main Event — Interim Middleweight Title
Kelvin Gastelum +155
Israel Adesanya -185

Read more: f1radical.com